jukebox,
there are some motels in Dequeen which is about 40 minutes south of Mena. Don't know how good they are, never stayed, but it would be closer than hot springs (1 1/2 hours to mena)....but the ride from hot springs to mena is great on 88 and 270....if you get a chance take 278 east from Wickes to US 70 then to glenwood...good riding...except for deer...they are moving right now, went riding sunday, and had a cow, deer and a hound dog in the road that night....makes my butt pucker>>>>

 

Queen Wilhelmina Lodge although this time of year and only a month out, you may have trouble getting a reservation.

 

Queen Wilhelmina State Park would be a good place to stay, may be a bit pricey (not bad). The park is about 15 miles from Mena on the Arkansas side. Do take Scenic Hwy 1 to Talihina, OK - AKA Talimena Drive.

 

That's Mt Nebo.

From Hot Springs go north on hiway 7. Hiway 7 goes right past Mt Nebo. You can go all the way to Jasper. Just before you get to Jasper there's a restaurant called "the Cliff House" (you can google it). I can't say about the food there, but the view is great.

 

I found a place in De Queen,AR that was fairly cheap and now I don't have so far to ride Thursday after my wife gets off work. Since we can't leave till after 4pm I was a little worried about riding to Hot Springs after dark with all the animals moving after dark.

 

Labor Day weekend I left Shreveport went thru Hope to Nashville. Rode Hwy 27 to 10 to 309 camped on top of Mount Magazine. Next day rode 309 to Hwy 23 (The Pig Trail), followed 309 to 74 crossed over to Boxley to Ponca and into Jasper to catch Hwy 7. Excellent ride plenty of twisties ups & downs. Beautiful scenery.

From Mena I would subjest you ride Hwy 23 and crossover to 21, both are extremtly good rides. As far as lodging as time approaches fall and the changing of the leaves most of the best lodges fill fast.

Enjoy your trip, ride safe and with God's speed.

 

you got some advice here. Dequeen is too far south in my opinion. I would have stayed in Hot Springs. Oh well, you can you do different next time! Enjoy!!

 

Oops!! Thanks for the correction rkoivisto!

 

All the other stuff plus you have to ride the ferry at Peels Landing at Bull Shoals,you can go to Branson from there.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I decided against staying in Hot Springs because it is too touristy. I wanted a place out of the way abit. DeQueen is only 50min from Mena,and about 90min from Hot Springs,so we can ride to Hot Springs then out to Mena through the Ouachita National Forest and back to DeQueen. Next day we can leave DeQueen,head up to Mena then over to OK on the scenic byway. That will give us a different direction to travel each day,plus anyway in between we want to go. I will post more on the Hotel and the trip at the end of the month.